They share the view that anti-corruption is a long-term and arduous task, and that both the causes and consequences of corruption should be dealt with at the same time.

"Anti-corruption is a serious political struggle concerning the life and death of the Party and state," delegate Bian Cuiping said, noting that Jiang Zemin's report at the congress shows the Party's determination in punishing corrupt Party members.

Chen Peizhong, a delegate from Yunnan Province, said system improvement is a good method to prevent and deal with corruption at the source.

The delegates expressed the belief that over the last 13 years the Party has managed to find a way of effectively combating corruption through its own efforts and public participation. Anti-corruption is done amid rapid economic expansion under conditions of a socialist market economy, he noted.

"Whether the Party is bold enough to cut the tumors of corruption from its own body and strengthen anti-corruption will be a major test having a bearing on its survival and development," said Wu Tianxiang, a delegate from Hubei Province.

Delegate Chen Songlin from Anhui Province said a ruling party would face serious consequences if it could not manage well its leading officials.

As a planned economy is shifting toward a market economy, Teng Jiuming from Chongqing Municipality said, a conflict of interests among various social circles tends to make the fight against corruption more difficult.

"We should have a full understanding of the urgency of anti-corruption, but on the other hand should know that it is a long-term task which needs unswerving determination," he said.

Statistics show that the Party's discipline inspection organs have received less letters of complaint or accusation since 1999. A rise in corruption cases in some fields has been brought under control.

(Xinhua News Agency November 13, 2002)